How to Deal with Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires are the most common type of domestic fires. These kinds of fires are responsible for the most injuries, deaths, and material damage. Most of them occur as a result of a cooking mishap.

So, is there anything you can do to ensure that your home is safe from kitchen fires? Well, the first and best form of defense is being informed. There are companies which offer various training options to people who want to learn to protect themselves, like http://www.redtruckfire.com/services.html. However, if you don’t have the time to take a class, here are some basic tips what to do and what not to do if a cooking fire happens.

You Can Probably Prevent a Grease Fire

Even though it may seem random, cooking fires usually show warning signs before they occur. It is up to you to be aware of them and stop them in their tracks. You should always be aware of the liquid oil or grease levels. If you notice that the smell has changed significantly, or if it starts smoking profusely, that is a clear sign that something is wrong. If that happens, turn off the heat and remove the problematic grease from the heat source.

What Not to Do

There are a few things that immediately come to our minds when we hear the word ‘fire’. However, there are different kinds of fires, so not all remedies are suitable for all kinds of fire. If there’s a kitchen fire, you may be instinctively drawn to try using water to put it out. However, that is the single worst thing you can do in this situation. If you’ve ever accidentally poured water in hot oil, you know how volatile that reaction is. Now factor in the fire which is raging in the pan and you get how the fire can easily spread.

Another thing you may attempt to do without thinking is moving the fire somewhere else, most commonly the sink. However, the grease that you have burning in the pan is a liquid. If you move it too quickly and too erratically, you risk spilling the burning oil everywhere and causing an ever greater crisis that the one you’ve got on your hands already. The same applies to fanning the flames; it will only help the fire burn stronger, which may result in even more damage.

What’s the Right Course of Action?

It’s very difficult to remain calm in a situation like this. However, that is what is required of you. You should have enough composure not to follow your first instincts but think rationally. If you can do that, you have a better chance of putting out the fire without any major damages or injuries.

The first thing to do is turn off the heat, to stop the source of the fire. Even though this won’t put out the fire, it may prevent it from spreading. In order to put out the fire, you need to starve it of oxygen or its fuel. Seeing how you cannot really get rid of the oil, you should attempt to smother the fire. The best way to do that is to put a solid lid on the pan. It should cover the container completely to ensure that the fire can’t get enough oxygen.